Supplying Energy

Lesson-3

Learning Objectives:

Vocabulary:

Digestion = Digestion the process by which your body breaks down food into nutrient molecules.

Nutrients = Nutrients are the substances in food that   provide the   raw materials the body's cells need to carry out  all their essential process.

Carbohydrates= An energy-rich organic compound, such as sugar or a starch, that is made of the elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, is called a carbohydrate.

Peristalsis= Waves of smooth muscle contractions that move food through the esophagus toward the stomach are called peristalsis.

saliva= Fluid called saliva is  released from glands in the mouth and plays an important role in both mechanical and chemical digestion.

Enzyme= Enzymes are proteins that speed up chemical reactions in the body.

Guiding Questions:

Q.1. What are the important nutrients your body needs to carry out its processes?

Q.2. How does food become the materials your body can use?

Q.3. How do your body's systems process the food you eat?

 

 Make Observations:

Q. Consider your daily activities. Which require the most energy? What would happen if you did not eat enough food?

Ans: Your body needs six essential nutrients to function properly:

1. Carbohydrates – Provide energy for daily activities.
2. Proteins – Help build and repair body tissues (muscles, skin, organs).
3. Fats – Supply long-term energy, protect organs, and help absorb vitamins.
4. Vitamins – Support many body processes, like immunity, vision, and cell growth.
5. Minerals – Help with bone health, nerve function, and maintaining balance in the body.
6. Water – Essential for digestion, temperature control, and transporting nutrients.

 Make Generalizations:

Q. Why are your food choices important?

Literacy Connection:

Write Arguments:

Q. A classmate claims that  an apple and cupcake, both about the same size, give you the same amount of energy. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Explain.

Ans: An apple contains natural sugars and fiber that give steady energy, while a cupcake has added sugar that causes a quick spike and crash. So they both provide energy, but in different ways.

Q. Circle a simple carbohydrate that  you think makes a healthy snack. Then, explain why you think that's a better choice than some others.

Ans: A banana is a better choice than other simple carbs, such as candy or soda, because it has natural sugars, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. These nutrients give your body steady energy instead of a quick sugar rush. It also helps keep you full longer and supports overall health.

Reading Check:

Determine Central Ideas:

Q. What role do enzymes play on the process of digestion? Explain.

Ans: Enzymes are special proteins that help break down the food you eat into smaller pieces your body can use.

Apply Concepts:

Q. Why is it important to get plenty of fiber in your diet?

Ans: Because fiber helps your digestive system work properly. It adds bulk to your food, which makes it easier to move waste through your intestines and prevent constipation.

Interpret Diagrams:

Q. Why does the gall bladder need to be close to the liver?

Ans: Because it stores bile, a digestive liquid that the liver makes. Since the liver produces bile continuously, the gall bladder must be nearby to collect and hold it until the body needs it for digestion—especially when breaking down fats.

Academic Vocabulary:

Use elimination in a sentence that uses a context other than digestion.

Ex. The class used the elimination method to remove any data that did not fit the pattern.

Reading Check:

Write Arguments:

Q. Your sister claims that the digestive system works by itself to give your body energy. She states that small branches from the stomach get food to the cells throughout your body. Do you agree with this statement? Why?

Ans: I disagree with this statement. The digestive system does not work by itself to give the body energy, and the stomach does not send food directly to the cells. Instead, the digestive system breaks food down into nutrients, like glucose, amino acids, and fats. These nutrients are then absorbed into the bloodstream through the small intestine. From there, the circulatory system carries the nutrients to all the cells in the body, where they are used for energy. So, the digestive and circulatory systems work together, not separately, and the stomach does not have branches that deliver food to cells.

Quest Check-in:

Q. In this lesson, you learned about nutrients that are important for maintaining a healthy body. You also learned about the digestive system and how it supports other systems in the body.

Evaluate:

Consider how your dietary needs might differ from someone else's and how you might need to modify your diet based on a day's activities. Why is it important to eat a variety of different foods?

Ans: It’s important to eat a variety of different foods because no single food has all the nutrients your body needs. Your dietary needs can change based on your age, health, and what activities you’re doing that day. For example, if you are more active—like playing sports or exercising—you may need more carbohydrates for energy and more water to stay hydrated. Someone else who is less active might need fewer calories but more vitamins or minerals.

Lesson 3 Check:

1. Identify:

Q. Starting in the mouth, food follows a pathway through the digestive system. Describe how the mouth is involved in both mechanical and chemical digestion.

Ans: The mouth prepares food both physically and chemically before it moves to the esophagus and the rest of the digestive system.

2. Cite Evidence:

Q. How can you use food labels to determine how rich in nutrients a food is?

Ans: Nutrients – Look at the amounts of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

3. Form an Opinion:

Q. If you are analyzing the nutrients in a food, how would you decide if the food is healthy or not? Support your claim.

Ans: Healthy foods usually have:

• High amounts of vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber

• Low amounts of added sugar, saturated fat, and sodium

For example, an apple is healthy because it provides fiber, vitamins, and natural sugar. A candy bar may give energy, but it has high sugar and little other nutrients, so it is less healthy.

4. Distinguish Relationships:

Q. How does the release of energy and nutrients from digestion help the rest of the body's systems?

Ans: When food is digested, it is broken down into nutrients like glucose, amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients, along with the energy from food, are then absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to all the cells in the body.

5. Compare and Contrast:

Q. Both the liver and the pancreas are responsible for producing enzymes that aid in digestion. What other functions do each perform when   carrying out digestion?

Liver and Pancreas Functions in Digestion

1. Liver:

• Produces bile, which breaks down fats into smaller droplets so enzymes can work better.

• Stores nutrients like glucose (as glycogen) and releases them into the blood when needed.

• Detoxifies harmful substances that enter the digestive system.

2. Pancreas:

• Produces enzymes (like amylase, lipase, and protease) that break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in the small intestine.

• Produces insulin and glucagon, hormones that help regulate blood sugar levels.

Summary:
Both organs make enzymes to help digestion, but the liver mainly handles bile production and nutrient storage, while the pancreas also controls blood sugar regulation in addition to making digestive enzymes.